Glenn Hughes Says He’ll Never Talk to Deep Purple Bandmates Again

Former Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes has no interest in reuniting with his old bandmates on account of what he felt to be disrespectful behavior at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2016.

In a recent interview with Guitar Interactive, Hughes directed his attention toward Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice, the three longest-standing members of the band. Hughes and singer David Coverdale joined Deep Purple and replaced Gillan and Glover, respectively, from 1973 to 1976, though they were also included in the 2016 induction.

“I will never speak to any of them again, simply because they were rude,” Hughes said of Gillan, Glover and Paice. “Both Roger, Ian and Gillan were rude to David [Coverdale] and I. Very, very hurtful. I didn’t give a fuck, actually, because I knew they were rude to begin with.

“I was the only sober man there. I don’t care about those guys. Gillan was rude to me on stage, accepting the award. I went to congratulate him. He looked at me in the eyes like I didn’t exist. The guy has a problem with me, period. I’ll let him run with it. I feel bad for him. I’m really sorry about his wife [Gillan’s wife of 40 years died in 2022]. I’ve tried to reach out to him. He doesn’t want to know.”

Ian Gillan’s Perspective

Gillan has also spoken publicly about the 2016 induction specifically, emphasizing in a 2021 interview with Tales From the Road [via ultimateguitar.com] that “we were very kind to everybody,” and that “all of those [other comments] are just opportunistic remarks from the others.”

According to Hughes, the absence of connection between himself and Gillan is not for a lack of trying.

“I’ve tried to make some kind of friendship with him over the last 40 years,” he explained. “He doesn’t want to know. David Coverdale and I don’t exist to him. I wish him only the very best, but I have no time left for that behavior.”

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